Sectional book or other case.



No. 67u47. -Paten'ma Aprfzylsol.

E. n. Roms,V cQmcPlKE & J'. n. AnAMs.

SECTIONL VB00 R OTHER CASE.

(Applicationune 22, 189%] no maden.) 2 sheets-sheet me mums trans ca, Prac-reuma.. wAsHmcToN. u c,

(Remodel.)

Patented Apr. 2, |901. E. n. noms, c. McPlKE & J. n. ADAMS.

SECTIUNAL 800K 0R UTI-IER CASE.

(Application filed June 22, 1899.

izLLIoTT D. noBIsINS AND CURTIS MCPIKE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND JAMES D. ADAMS, or WAnAsI-LINDIANA, ASSIGNORS To THE ROCKWELL AND RUPEL COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

`SEC'TIONAL BOOK OR OTHER CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent N o. 671,147, dated April 2, 1901.

Application iiled June 22, 1899. Serial No. '721,453- (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern.' bodying our invention, the upper front edge 5o Be it known that We, ELLIOTT D. ROBBINS of which is cut away or rabbeted to form a and CURTIS MCPIKE, of Ghicago,in the county shoulder, as indicated at 2, while in its unof Cook and State of Illinois, and JAMES D. der side are formed two or more longitudinal ADAMS, of Wabash, in the county of Wabash grooves or recesses, two being shown in the and State of Indiana, have invented certain present instance and indicated at 3 and 4. 55 new and useful Improvements in Sectional There is also provided in the under face of Book or other Cases,` of which the following the bottom I, near the front edge thereof, a is a specification. longitudinal groove 5. The back of the sec- Io This invention relates to sectional book and tion is indicated at 6, and the lowerl inner wall other cases, and has for one object to provide of said back piece is rabbeted or cut away, 6o a construction whereby the individual units as indicated at 7, while its upper inner edge of which the case is composed may be readily is provided with a longitudinal projection 8, assembled in any desired number, so as to inadapted to fit the rabbet 7 ofthe section above crease the dimensions of the book or other it. The upper edges of the ends 9 are concase, the construction being Such that the sevnected by longitudinally-extending strips or c5 eral units will be iirmly held in place when slats l0, corresponding in number and size united, but may be readily separated when with the grooves 3 and AL of the bottom, so desired. that when one section is superimposed upon 2o A further Object of the invention is to so` another said slats will enter said grooves, as

construct and locate the connecting devices clearly shown in Fig. 3, and will prevent any 7o between the ends of the units that all projectdisplacement of the two sections relatively to ing parts which might tend to engage with each other in a forward or rearward direction. and damage clothing or other articles are dis- The projection or tongue S, fitting within the pensed with. rabbet 7, serves to form a more elicient and To these ends our invention consists in cerdust-tight joint at the rear of the case. In the 75 tain novel features, which we will now pro- 'inner face of each end piece 9 there is formed ceed to describe and will then particularly agroove ll,which extends from the rear of the point out in the claims. section to a point near the front, where it ter- In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis miuatesin a stop-shoulder l2, said grooves a front elevation of a bookcase embodying beinglocated ashort distance below the upper 8o our invention, the same being shown as comedge of the end pieces, as clearly shown in Fig. posed of four units. Fig. 2 is an end eleva- 3. There is also provided on the inner face of tion of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional each end piece 9 a vertical strip 13, which has view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4. its front face flush with the vertical face of is a bottom plan View of the meeting ends of the shoulder 2, and said strip extends from two adjacent sections or units of the same the level of the upper surface of the bottom tier. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View in ele- 1 to the lower margin of the groove ll, where vation from the inside of the section of one it terminates a short distance in the rear of 4o portion of the fastening or connecting device the front end of said groove. The inner for the ends of the sections. Fig. 6 is a simifaces of the end pieces are flush except for 9o lar View of the other portion of the fastening the grooves ll and strips 13. These grooves or connecting device. Fig. 7 is a plan secand strips serve to guide and support the tion through the parts shown in Figs. 5 and door l5, the upper front edge of which is 45 6 when united; and Fig. 8 is a View similar rounded off, as indicated at 16, to conform to to Fig. 7, illustrating a modified form of fasthe rounding of the wall of the groove 5. The toning or connecting device. door is provided at the lower front portion In the drawings, l indicates the bottom of thereof with a pair of knobs or handles 25 for an individual section or a unit of a case enioperating the same and hasin each side there- -apertures 34 and 36..

of a suitable pintle (not shown) to engage the corresponding groove 1l, and the construction is such that when the pintles are extended into the grooves ll they will form not vonly guides and supports for the upper or rear portion of the door, but also hinge-pin-` t-les upon which the door may turn when it' is drawn forward until said pintles are brought to the front end of the grooves l1.

Each section is provided at the front and rear margins of the outer faces of its end portions 9 with vertical strips 27, which abut against the corresponding strips of the laterally-adjacent sections when assembled in horizontal tiers, as clearly indicated in Fig.

section by screws 32 or in any other suitable manner. The plate 30 is provided with acentral aperture 33, and the plate 31 is provided with a corresponding central aperture 34. On the inner face of the plate 31 is provided a bridge-piece 35, located within the aperture or recess 29 and havinga central aperture 36 in line with the aperture 34. A clamping-lever 37 is pivoted to one arm of Athe bridgepiece 35, as indicated at 3S, and is provided with an aperture 39 slightly larger than the Said clamping-lever is provided with an operating stem or handle 40, which extends through a slot 4l in the bridgepiece 35, and a spring 42, secured to the bridge-piece, bears with its free end against the free end of the clamping-lever 37, said spring being provided with a large aperture 43 for the unobstructed passage of the connecting pin orbolt,hereinafterdescribed. All

'these parts lie entirely within the thickness of the end piece 9, so that they do not project into the interior of the section. The connecting pin or bolt is indicated at .44 and is provided with a head 45, by means of which it may be grasped. Said pin or bolt passes somewhat loosely through the apererture 33 in the plate 30 and more snugly through the apertures 34 in the 4plate 31,-and 36 in the bridge-piece 35. The aperture 39 in the clamping-lever 37 is of such dimensions that when said lever is at or near a position at right angles to the pin or bolt 44 said pin or bolt is clear from contact with its walls; but when said clamping-lever is inclined to a sufficient extent-as, for instance,

as indicated in Fig. 7 of the ydrawingsthe margins of the aperture 39 will bear upon the pin or bolt in such a manner that, while it permits said pin or bolt to be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in said iignre, it will prevent itsv movement in the opposite direction. This is due to the fact that movement in the direction of the arrow tends to move the clamping-lever in such a way as to free the pin or bolt from the binding action of the walls of the aperture therein, while movement in the opposite direct-ion tends to cause the margins ot' said aperture to bite said pin or bolt, and thereby prevents its withdrawal. The spring 42 serves to always hold said clamping-lever in operative position to prevent withdrawal of the pin or bolt except when said clamping lever is moved against the action of said spring by pressure of the finger upon the stem or handle 40.

It will be understood that in assembling the'sections or units together horizontally they are brought into position sothat their end strips 27 abut against each other, and the aperture 33 of the plate 30 of onesection is oppositethe aperture 34 of the plate 3l of the adjacent section. All that is necessary to firmly unite the sections is to insert the Vpin or bolt 44 through the apertures 33 and 34 in the plates and through the apertures 39 in the clamping-lever 37, which will freely permit the passage of said bolt in the manner just described. When the head 45 of the pin or bolt bears against the inner side of the plate 30, the two sections are iirmly vlocked togetheigsince any attempt to separate them will cause the clamping-lever 37 to bite upon the pin or bolt 44 and prevent such separation'. The sections may, however, be readilyseparated by inserting the inger into the-recess 29 and pressing upon Ythe stem or handle 40, whereupon the pin or bolt is released and may be withdrawn by means of its head 45. lt will be observed that the pin or bolt is of such length that when inserted in position to unite the parts neither it nor any of its associated mechanism projects beyond the inner faces of the end pieces, so that the interior of the sections is entirely unobstructed. At the same time all external projections on the ends of the cases are done away with, and all danger of injury to garments `of the vperson by becoming entangled with or striking against said projecltions is done away with.

rPhe units constructed in `the manner described may be assembled together either in vertical or horizontal rows, or in both, so as toconstitute a book or other case of any desired capacity, which may be increased or diminished at will by the removal ,or addition vof other sections or units.

VithA regard to theisectionsin thesame horizontal row they may 4be united by simply bringing their ends together until the Ystrips 27 abut, .whereupon the locking pinor bolt 44 may be inserted in the mannerhereinbefore describedand will lock the sections together so that they will be held irmly in place. The sections may be separated horizontally by inserting the hands within the adjacent sections, releasing IIO the clam ping-lever 37 with one hand and withdrawing the locking pin or bolt 44 with the other. It will be observed that the devices for connecting the sections at their ends do not project into the interior of the sections when in position, and when the sections are separated they do not project externally in such a manner as to cause damage.

It will be understood, of course, that in order to complete the case a top 46 is employed, grooved and recessed on its under side to t the upper portion of the section below it and finished above in any suitable manner, as indicated in Figs. l, 2, and 3.

We do not wish to be understood as limiting our invention in its application to bookcases only, as it is obvious that a similar construction may be applied to cases and cabinets of variouskinds-as, for instance, either cabinet-s or individual units, such as commercial iiling cabinets or units,consisting of letter, catalogue, card-index, or check files, pigeonhole cases, document-tiles, and various other devices of office equipment. Furthermore, we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise details of construction hereinbefore set forth, as said details may be varied without departing from the principle of our invention. For instance, the particular form of connecting device between the ends of the sections may be varied, and in Fig. 8 of the drawings we have shown a modification, in which plates 47 and 48 are employed, corresponding to the plates 30 and 3l, the plate 48 being, however, centrally enlarged and threaded, as shown at 49, while a bolt or pin 50, corresponding with the bolt or pin 44 and having a head 5l, .corresponding to the head 45, is employed, said bolt or pin being threaded to screw into the threaded aperture of the plate 4S. It will be observed, however, that in this case, as in the case of the constructionl shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the fastening devices are entirely protected and concealed within recesses in the ends of the sections, so as to not project into the interior oit' the saine and so that when the sections are separated there are no external projections.

We claim- 1. In a sectional book or other case,the combination, with the meeting ends of two sections or units, having apertures extending from the interior to the exterior and plates for closing the outer ends of said apertures to form recesses opening into the interior of the sections, said plates being provided with apertures smaller than those which form the' recesses, of a connecting bolt or pin adapted to fit and engage said apertured plates and havingits ends located and terminating within the recesses inward of the inner faces of the end walls of the sections, substantially as described.

2. In a sectional book or other case,the combination, with the meeting ends of two sections or units having opposite apertures extending from the interior to the exterior, and apertured plates closing the exterior of said apertures to form internal recesses,one of said plates being provided with a bridge piece and with a clamping-lever pivotally connected therewith, of a locking pin or bolt adapted to extend through said apertures and be engaged by said clamping-lever, substantially as described.

3. In a sectional book or other case,the combination, with the meeting ends of two sections or units, apertured as described and provided with apertured closing-plates, of a bridge-piece mounted on one of said plates within the aperture, an apertured clampinglever pivotally connected to said bridgepiece, and provided with an operating stem or handle, and a spring for holding said ciamping-lever in an oblique position, and a connecting bolt or pin having a body adapted to extend through said apertures and engage the clamping-lever, and a head to bear against the inner face of the other plate, substantially as described.

4. In asectional book or other case,the combination, with the meeting ends of two sections or units having apertures closed by apertured plates, to form inwardly-opening recesses; of a removable connecting bolt or pin provided with a head to engage theinner face of one of saidplates, the other of said plates being provided with means for engaging the body of said bolt or pin, when inserted, and said bolt or pin terminating in said recessesinward of the inner faces of the inner end walls of the sections, substantially as described.

ELLIOTT D. ROBBINS.

CURTIS MGPIKE. JAMES D. ADAMS. Witnesses to signatures of Elliott D. Robbins and Curtis McPike:

FREDERICK C. GOODWIN, IRVINE MILLER. Witnesses to signature of James D. Adams:

SARAH IIIPSKIND, OLIVER H. BoGUE.

IOO 

